Over the years, many proposals have been developed for protective covers for limbs or casts. In some cases, the cover is to protect an article worn on the limb as, for example, a shoe, from the elements. Of course, cast protection is for the same purpose.
Other proposals have been specifically directed at the protection of casts so as to enable the wearer of the cast to shower or bathe without damaging the cast.
Prior art patents representative of the proposals are as follows. U.S. Pat. No. 2,176,463 to Meendsen issued Oct. 17, 1939; U.S. Pat. No. 2,229,575 to Kaplan issued Jan. 21, 1941; U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,790 to Lemon issued Jan. 16, 1973; U.S. Pat. No. 3,741,203 to Liman issued June 26, 1973; U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,125 to Goldman et al issued July 24, 1973; U.S. Pat. No. 3,804,084 to Lehman issued April 16, 1974; U.S. Pat. No. 3,845,769 to Shaw issued Nov. 5, 1974; U.S. Pat. No. 4,036,220 to Bellasalma issued July 19, 1977; U.S. Pat. No. 4,078,266 to Brown issued Mar. 14, 1978; U.S. Pat. No. 4,224,935 to Metelnick issued Sept. 30, 1980; U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,887 to White issued May 25, 1982; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,317 to Broucek issued Dec. 14, 1982.
Of the foregoing, Broucek, Lemon, Meendsen and Kaplan may be of most relevance to the invention hereinafter described.
These proposals suffer from one or more deficiencies. For example, in the case of Broucek, while the protective cover is effective for its intended purpose, some difficulty may be experienced in fastening the elastic band necessary to seal the opening to the protective cover about the limb to be protected. Specifically, when the elastic band is stretched to assure a snug fit, the resulting tensile forces are applied through the length of the band to the cover at its opening and such force has a tendency to cause the cover to rotate on the limb of the user. Such rotation, of course, reduces the tension in the band which in turn reduces the length of the band such that the same cannot completely extend about the opening to seal the same. As a result, the user of the device restretches the band and the same result obtains. Thus, considerable frustration may be encountered in properly sealing the protective cover disclosed by Broucek.
Furthermore, the Broucek device cannot be used for extended periods of time. The necessary stretching of the elastic band applies a constrictive force about the limb of the user thereby impeding blood flow with the consequential effect of numbness in the limb or worse. If one attempts to utilize the Broucek device for protective functions over a period of time without stretching the band, the same is prone to slip and eventually fall off of the limb of the user.
The device disclosed by Kaplan is generally subject to the first mentioned deficiency of Broucek although the latter is somewhat eliminated in that Kaplan utilizes a drawstring for tightening the protective cover in addition to the elastic sealing strap such that the latter may be dispensed with when the cover is to be worn for an extended period of time. However, the Kaplan device utilizing the drawstring is not suitable for use on all limbs and is mainly intended for use with legs. When attempted to be applied to an arm, the drawstring cannot be easily manipulated by the user with a single free hand thereby requiring the presence of another person to tighten the drawstring.
Meendsen discloses a protective device which cannot be adequately sealed for cast protection purposes but is useful in some instances for the protection of shoes, exposed limbs, etc. from the elements.
Lemon discloses an elastic bandage which cannot be effectively sealed and generally should be regarded as of little relevance to the invention herein disclosed for that reason. It too is susceptible to twisting on the limb of the user during application.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the above problems.